I didn’t have the opportunity to try out the Monroe before it arrived, so I went on faith. I was also sent the medium frame version, which turned out to be slightly small for me but fortunately, the build ended up being just right for how I like to ride. By modern terms, it’s a tiny system – only about 100WH (watt-hours) of capacity. Also, by some of it’s competition at the time, it was a tiny system. The BionX 36v system from 2007 packs over 350WH of capacity into a smaller battery case – though the BionX system actually uses the full case, instead of having a small battery tucked inside a large case.
Lets get into the review and find what areas the bike struggled in. For more information on e-bike technology and model comparison, don’t forget our e-bike page. Or, feel free to browse and shop the whole collection. If you are in the market for an electric bicycle, I personally recommend the Lectric XP Lite.
One of the valid concerns raised by riders of e-bikes is the ability of their e-bikes to hold a charge and provide pedal assistance when they’re out for rides of longer distances. Keep in mind that e-bikes are built for all different types of riders, from casual cruisers to high-octane adventurers. Also know that there are bikes equipped with features that are specifically designed for kids, women, and older riders. Whatever you want to do on your e-bike, and whatever type of riding you intend to do, we’ve got you covered. The IC4 is made for serious indoor cycling, and it comes with a race style seat.
Sure, I could have bought an electric bike for thousands, but I like my original bike and this kit was a breeze to install at a fraction of the price. You can re-position the velcro straps anywhere on the power pack, allowing it to fit to a wide variety of bicycle types. Add the optional LED display to your Kit to unlock extra power modes, track your battery level, plus turn the power off while riding. Unfortunately, Schwinn doesn’t outfit the Monroe 250 with any accessories you’d typically want for commuting, such as fenders or racks.
Fundamentally, this bike seems like a bunch of parts bolted and ziptied (yes… literally ziptied) onto an otherwise standard Schwinn city bike frame. Of course, as some of my regular readers might know, I bought one. Stan, a freelance writer and editor, lives in Ohio.
Making sure this is the case might mean visiting a local bike shop that carries it and either giving it a test ride or just seeing which size is right for your height. We recommend looking into not only a brand’s testing options but also its return policy, as you want to make sure it’s also eligible to be sent back should it not fit. I’ve covered the battery pack elsewhere, in great detail. Also, how to bypass the BMS if it’s gotten unhappy. If they’re shallow hills (perhaps, what Iowa calls a hill), you’re fine.
The fast charging capability makes it seem like it was focused on fleet use, perhaps for urban delivery. But it’s just not a good bike for this – it’s heavy and slow. It doesn’t make much sense to me for an electric bike – the focus on fast charging and a high power density chemistry on a bike that really doesn’t need much power is hard to understand. The only thing I can think is that they hoped it would become a delivery fleet bike or something – but a decent delivery rider would absolutely smoke this bike in any terrain. It makes sense, if you’re Toshiba and want to advertise this fancy battery chemistry you’re gearing up to produce, though. Feature rich, relatively affordable, light weight electric bike from ~2009 well suited for city use.
The suspension isn’t top of the line and doesn’t include lockout but it definitely smoothes out the ride and the adjustability of the stem and handlebars is wonderful. I define purpose-built as a frame that was designed specifically to integrate with an electric drive system. The cadence sensor is also tucked inside the chainring on the right side and the cables for it are tucked in very nicely. By 1975, bicycle customers interested in medium-priced road and touring bicycles had largely gravitated towards Japanese or European brands. In reality, mass-market French manufacturers such as Peugeot were not infrequently criticized for material and assembly quality — as well as stagnant technology — in their low- and mid-level product lines. Nevertheless, Peugeot proudly advertised its victorious racing heritage at every opportunity.
But it’s a great go-to steed for commuting, errand running, recreational riding, hauling a kid in a child seat and other general purposes. And it can still perform when needed for more demanding travel. Fully charged, a 250-watt e-bike motor can take a rider about 22.5 miles at 20 mph. At lower speeds, a battery will last up to 45 miles. These numbers, of course, can vary depending on riding conditions, bike weight, and rider weight. While we offer higher-capacity batteries for our e-bikes, the larger batteries schwinn dealers won’t make the bike go faster.